The present invention relates to a trailer for carrying a boat from one location to another, and, in particular, to a trailer upon which a boat may be loaded and unloaded into and out of the water without placing the wheels or axle of the trailer in the water.
The boating market in the United States, since the advent of the outboard motor, has grown tremendously, especially in the last thirty years. Advances in outboard motor technology have resulted in the wide-spread use of reliable, compact, lightweight outboard motors on small boats ranging from ten feet or smaller on up to larger boats which may be used for ocean fishing and diving.
A large proportion of these boats are sold with trailers for transporting the boats to various bodies of water for launching. Boat trailers allow the boat owner much more flexibility in selecting the body of water in which he wishes to operate his boat, while at the same time permitting him to store his boat and motor at his residence or at another location convenient for periodic servicing, cleaning and maintenance.
Maintaining a trailer in good working order is essential for the safe transport of boats on the highway. The lights on the trailer must be in good working order and the boat owner must carefully inspect his axles, springs and other running gear frequently to prevent rust and corrosion which could cause the axles or springs to break on the highway or cause the bearings in the trailer axle to overheat and melt or deform. Such overheating of the bearings frequently causes the wheels to fly off the trailers, resulting in severe damages to the boat, motor and trailer and possible damage and injury to the vehicles and passengers in the vicinity at the time of the trailer failure.
One of the most common problems in maintaining a boat trailer in good working order and safe running condition for use on public highways is the rusting of the springs and axles of the trailer and the rusting of bearings on the trailer axle. Such rusting and corrosion is commonly caused by the axle, springs and bearings being repeatly wetted when launching and retrieving the boat from a body of water. Rusting and corrosion are particularly severe when the trailer is used to launch a boat in salt water.
It is very common when launching a boat to back the trailer into the water at an inclined concrete ramp until the axles, bearings and springs are beneath the surface of the water. When the trailer is pulled from the water, the water begins to dry and commonly rust begins to form on the axles, bearings and springs. After a days outing, the boat must be retrieved from the water in the same manner and the trailer wetted again. Such repeated wetting of the trailer over a long period of time can cause the corrosion, pitting, and rusting away of axles, bearings and springs, even if some of these elements are coated with rust preventive chemicals.
It is thus highly desirable that a boat trailer be provided from which a boat can be launched and retrieved without wetting the axle, springs and bearings of the trailer.
Furthermore, it is desirable that such a trailer be easily moved from one location to another with a minimum of operater effort even when detached from the towing vehicle.